Thoothukudi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal during a programme, in Thoothukudi, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. PM Modi on Wednesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various developmental projects in Thoothukudi.
Credit: PTI Photo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated projects and laid the foundation stones for new initiatives, totally worth over Rs 17,000 crore and castigated the UPA regime for not 'bothering' about Tamil Nadu's progress.
Laying the foundation stones and inaugurating projects, Modi said the state is writing a 'new chapter of progress,' and due to the Centre's efforts, modern connectivity in Tamil Nadu is 'on a new high.'
In a veiled reference to the ruling DMK, he alleged that though newspapers and TV channels wanted to highlight Centre's such efforts "the regime here won't allow them to do so,"
"But we won't desist from development work," Modi asserted.
Flagging off India's first indigenous green hydrogen waterway vessel in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi, he said increasing connectivity due to the consistent efforts of the Central Government has enhanced 'ease of living' in Tamil Nadu. |The new projects are an important part of the roadmap for a developed India.
"Whatever I am saying belongs neither to any political ideology nor to my own ideology, it only belongs to development."
Apparently targeting the DMK-Congress and pointing to a slew of development projects launched, he said: "I need to tell a truth to people of Tamil Nadu and the rest of the nation. Truth is bitter but it needs to be told...all these projects I have brought, they were demands of locals for decades."
In an indirect reference to the DMK, he said the Tamil Nadu's ruling party shared power at the Centre during the UPA regime.
However, they were not 'bothered about your progress.'
All the development initiatives have been delivered by the 'sevak,' he said in a reference to himself.
The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for a new launch complex of ISRO at Kulasekarapattinam near here, which is worth about Rs 986 crore and the facility is set to accomodate 24 launches per year.
The new complex includes 35 facilities, and features mobile launch structure (MLS) with checkout computers marking a significant stride in enhancing space exploration capabilities.